"We’re broke as f*** – and we just did two months in arenas." Witch Fever speak out on the "crazy" state of the music industry as they struggle to make ends meet

Witch Fever say they are "broke" despite having just completed an arena tour of Europe with Volbeat.

The Manchester doom punks are struggling to make ends meet and say the situation shows how "crazy" the music industry is at the moment.

Singer Amy Hope Walpole tells the 101 Part Time Jobs podcast: "So we’re broke as f*** – and we just did two months in arenas. We also can't get a job because we're back on tour in March, so nowhere will hire us.

"This is just crazy that this is what the music industry is like at the moment. I'm currently living off four grand of my late mother's pension that I got at the end of last year. That is obviously rapidly running out. So it's quite a depressing landscape at the moment."

Bassist Alex Thompson adds: "We just got off tour with Volbeat. We did two months in arenas and stadiums. You know, we played Wembley. We got to the end of it and our profit is all stuck in withholding taxes across Europe."

Witch Fever, who are signed to a subsidiary of Sony Music, are not the first band to be stung by the cost of touring in Europe and the difficulty of making money on the road.

In 2023, The Agonist cancelled a string of summer European shows to avoid losing "a dangerous amount of money."

Anthrax pulled out of a European tour in 2022 and cancelled their scheduled European festival appearances in 2023 due to spiralling costs.

Chief Executive of the UK-based Help Musicians charity, Sarah Woods, tells The Independent: "A career in music can be rewarding, but for many musicians it is also financially precarious.

"In recent years the complexity and costs associated with working and touring, from rising travel and crew expenses to additional paperwork and compliance requirements, have grown significantly, and we are hearing from increasing numbers of musicians seeking support to reduce the risk of financial loss.

"Insights from industry bodies within music highlight the negative impact Brexit has had for musicians with UK Music and many of its members campaigning for a reduction in red tape and additional sector support.

"Changes are needed to create conditions where musicians can build sustainable careers at home and internationally to ensure musicians can continue to tour and fans can continue to enjoy the music we all love."